Chromosome morphology of 12 species and one variety of Lachenalia and five species of closely related, allied genera (Liliaceae)

Abstract

Somatic chromosomes in 12 species and one variety of Lachenalia and their closely related, two species of Massonia and three species of Polyxena, all in the Liliaceae, were studied. The resting nuclei of all of the taxa studied were commonly classified as the round prochromosome type. The mitotic prophase chromosomes of the taxa studied were commonly classified as the proximal type. However, their chromosome numbers varied from 2n=14, 16, 18, 22, 24, 26 to 28. The chromosome numbers of 2n = 14 in Lachenalia algoensis, L. aloides ‘Lutea’, and L. longibracteata; 2n = 18 in L. latimerae; and 2n = 28 in Massonia pustulata and Polyxena longituba were reported here for the first time. The 13 taxa of Lachenalia studied were classified karyotypically into six groups. The two species of Massonia studied showed commonly the bimodal karyotype with four large chromosomes and the three species of Polyxena studied showed commonly the bimodal karyotype with three large chromosomes. The species of Massonia displayed much larger chromosomes at mitotic metaphase than those of the other two genera.